Market town’s hopes to end teen behaviour

A new group has been set up to try to tackle the problems of anti-social behaviour in Garstang.

Garstang Youth Group wants the people in the town to be proactive in helping the teenagers rather than slating them for the recently reported behaviour.

There’s not much for teenagers to do in the town and that’s probably why some of the bad behaviour has happened

Police say large groups have been congregating in the town and throwing fireworks, shining laser pens at motorists, underage drinking and smoking cannabis but a spokesman for the youth group says more needs to be done to help them.

They said: “The group has had a meeting with youth group leaders who run the youth club currently running in the community centre.

“Due to funding cuts, the club will now be moving out and into a bus.

“Instead of having 40-50 youngsters there, the bus will only be able to hold 10 people so it’s more important than ever that we come together and help these teenagers find something to do.”

The youth club will move out of the community centre at the end of March and a date for the club’s bus has not yet been set.

The spokesman said: “There’s not much for teenagers to do in the town and that’s probably why some of the bad behaviour has happened.

“This isn’t as big of a problem as is being made out we just need people to offer things for them to do.”

“It’s about standing up and doing something to help rather than complaining.”

The Facebook group ‘Garstang Youth Group’ has more than 500 members and anyone with any ideas can contact the group directly.